Shepherd

Chapter 1 Even underground, the pale coloured walls were cold. Condensation trickled down to pool on the floor before disappearing through the narrow gaps between spongy tiles. A splash of sharp scarlet attracted the eye to the suits that hung on racks, their silvered helmets arrayed in rows above and a low thrumming resonated through the floor and walls from the machines that worked to keep the room habitable. If…

Chapter 13 Alec opened his eyes. Darkness. Coldness and darkness. He tried to reach out, but his wrists were restrained. Uncomfortable restraints that bit into his skin, tight on the bones underneath. Pain in his head. He turned his face to one side, but a hand hit his cheek, the unexpected slap stinging his skin. He could feel his pulse beating hard, almost erratically, could sense the strangeness of his…

Chapter 10 The rattle of china startled him from dreams. Blinking, he rubbed his face to stretch and awaken skin dulled by deep sleep, then pushed himself upright before remembering where he was. ‘Morning. You slept well.’ He looked around. Rebecca, hair tousled and still charmingly half-asleep herself was puttering in the kitchen, scooping coffee into mugs while the kettle boiled. He wrapped the throw around his shoulders, and sat…

Chapter 7 ‘Everything organised?’ Ford looked up at Alec Freeman. ‘Yes Colonel. All staff have been given instructions to attend for medical examinations.’ ‘Good. Oh, and Keith?’ Freeman put his hand on Keith’s shoulder and paused. ‘Thanks.’ Ford grinned with slight embarrassment, then adjusted his headphones and turned back to his monitors. The control room was busy, and he could get on with his tasks without interruption. It seemed strange,…

Chapter 4 Rebecca had woken late for once, and had lain there, wondering what to do with the day that stretched out ahead of her, aimless and barren. No Christmas shopping to do; she’d done most of it online and anyway there were not that many people to buy for. Not now. Sara, of course, and she was always hard to buy for, but this year Rebecca had found the…

Prologue ‘Mr Freeman?’ Alec nodded, ‘Yes Miss Ealand, Dr Harper. She’s going below with me.’ One second of hesitation, in fact even less than that, before Miss Ealand smiled a welcome and opened the door to the inner office. Alec waved Sara inside. ‘Okay,’ he looked at her, ‘ready for this? Sara lifted an eyebrow. ‘As ready as I’ll ever be I suppose. What do I have to do now?…

Chapter 12 ‘He was a clone wasn’t he?’ The question in her voice was unmistakeable, the repugnance in her eyes palpable. ‘A replica. I should have seen it earlier. How the hell did you do it? You must have started this what… more than forty years ago? That’s impossible. Alec….’ she turned to him, ‘are you part of this? Please, tell me the truth.’ Jackson stepped forward, one hand reaching…

Chapter 9 Commander Freeman stood in the corridor listening to the sounds from his control room, and smiled. It was no longer his control room, he would be handing it back to Straker soon, but there were things that needed to be done first. Not that he was unhappy in his role, far from it, but it was Ed’s place and Alec was happy to step aside. He had learned…

Chapter 6 Dr Hartley scowled as he flicked through the folder and saw the address. Yet another homeless drunk, no doubt having been in a fight, aggressive, ready to cause trouble and taking up precious time. His precious time. He had been here too many times before to care about yet another waste of space. If the ambulance hadn’t brought this one in then Hartley would have pushed him to…

Chapter 3 Straker lay still once Shroeder had finished his tests, too weary to do anything other than observe through half-closed eyes as the doctor moved around the small room, talking in a quiet voice to the nurse. He was aware of the weight of blankets on his body, a somewhat familiar sensation and he roused himself to look for Rebecca, wondering where she was, why she had not spoken…